Options for hard jack points?

[conor1n]

So guys,

I have been (and previous owners) using the sill seams as jack points and they are a little worse for wear. I find them to the be safe points but I would like to reinforce them when the car is stripped down.

My stands are the type shown below and I am wondering what I can do to suit these. I was thinking of cleaning up what is there and welding on a steel plate that these stands can securely accommodate.

Thoughts? Any photos for inspiration. What have you got?

Thanks.

 

[JB21]

At the rear of the car you can use the rear beam. You can also use the chassis rails front and rear, just use a pad or cardboard so you dont scratch away the rubber coating.

 

[leedsboy]

At the rear of the car you can use the rear beam. You can also use the chassis rails front and rear, just use a pad or cardboard so you dont scratch away the rubber coating.

This.

I think you're looking into it too much tbh. Use the rear beam on the back and the chassis rails on the front. I've got some of these for the front as the rail sits in them perfectly and then some like the photo you've put up for the rear.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

I normally jack the front up off the sub-frame bracket bolts (with a jack pad), at the back where the join the chassis. Then put the stands under the big bolt in the front subframe at the back of the wishbone, just behind the ARB.

 

[conor1n]

Ok sounds good, thanks guys..

I guess I was thinking about it a bit much..cheers.

 

[K clio]

I have been (and previous owners) using the sill seams as jack points and they are a little worse for wear. I

So are the actual seams the place where all the manuals say to jack the car up. They certainly seem a bit flimsy, but is that what they mean. Just checking cause I've never been sure and if I have to change a wheel just want to be sure it's ok.

 

[Louis]

So are the actual seams the place where all the manuals say to jack the car up. They certainly seem a bit flimsy, but is that what they mean. Just checking cause I've never been sure and if I have to change a wheel just want to be sure it's ok.

Don't use the sill at the front. Look underneath and you'll see the rails running down at the front. Use these.

Sills are fine at the back to use most of the time

 

[K clio]

Is this what you mean?

View attachment 93365

 

[Louis]

Is this what you mean?

Yes

 

[Ed Hodson]

Those weak sill jacking points are a problem which I’m dealing with at the moment.

About 2 years ago, I used ATS to replace two tyres and the monkeys absolutely mangled my front jacking points.

Just as others have mentioned, I also never jack from those points as they are a bit too delicate. However, I’m going to sort them out and strengthen them to make sure that careless garages won’t cause me trouble again.

Plan:
- Rub down the rust to bare metal
- Apply bilt hamber rust converter
- Force cavity wax into the seam
- Straighten out using some big hammers, etc
- Make a reinforcement pad using box section steel
- Cover the box section in seam sealer where it makes contact with the body
- Bolt into place using existing jacking point hole

I’ll take pictures as I go and I’ll post when I’m done.

 

[RichValver]

As has been mentioned. I always use the chassis rails up front as my sills are butchered

I use one of these for the rear though as there's not much weight at the back anyway

 

[conor1n]

So this is what I ended up going with anyway. Seems kind of brutal, but they should put up with plenty of abuse going forward.

 

[K clio]

Pretty sure that won't bend.

Because the sills are like cardboard, I always felt like I was in the wrong place, even though I wasn't.

 

[Ed Hodson]

That’s great and it’ll make a huge difference to have an easily accessible, strong jacking point. Mine will be very similar, but seam sealed and bolted on instead of welded.

 

[Louis]

So this is what I ended up going with anyway. Seems kind of brutal, but they should put up with plenty of abuse going forward.


View attachment 1580772


View attachment 1580771

View attachment 1580770


View attachment 1580773

Some nice plaggy caps for ends and you'll be onto a winner.

 

[Matt Cup]

We added a bit of box section on my old Cup.

Crushed jacking point prevention.

My dad being a bit of a clever clogs came up with a novel idea of saving my car from having its jacking points crushed, as we all well know that they are made of chocolate. We used a bit of 1" box section and a small 3/5mm (can't remember?) plate for additional strength. All parts were cu-rusted...

cliosport.net

 

[VenomUK]

I’ve seen some weld in thicker plate on the very front of the subframe and jack off of that. All other suggestions above are also good points to jack from

 

[K clio]

As has been mentioned. I always use the chassis rails up front as my sills are butchered

I use one of these for the rear though as there's not much weight at the back anyway

View attachment 1580146

If they made a thicker version of these with the groove deeper that the sills could fit into, it would be ideal for jacking the sills and stop the sills buckling. Or maybe the groove in that one is enough to protect the sills.

http://www.purems.com/images/my_storage/jackpad1.jpg

 

[K clio]

Actually the slot on that yellow one is too deep and is pressing on the metal each side of the sills - I'm not sure if that's a good thing or if it will crush there?

 

[K clio]

So as well as the chassis rails, if I want to Jack it up from the front, is anywhere on the front suspension subframe ok? Sometimes I Jack on the join of 4&5 front suspension subframe & front suspension lower arms - is that ok? Or where else is good on this diagram?

 

[Louis]

So as well as the chassis rails, if I want to Jack it up from the front, is anywhere on the front suspension subframe ok? Sometimes I Jack on the join of 4&5 front suspension subframe & front suspension lower arms - is that ok? Or where else is good on this diagram?

View attachment 1595761

Jack on the bolt of 8.

 

[Brigsy]

Chassis rail is always the best place to jack it up with a proper low profile jack.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

As above, use either the chassis rails or bolt 8.
I usually Jack on bolt 8 and then place the jackstands on the rails.

My brother has a 1.2 mk2 Clio and we put the Jack stands in between number 3 and 4 on that diagram because we couldn’t be arsed to move the car. The front of the sub frame started to bend slightly where the point of contact was on the Jack stand, so took it off sharpish. The subframe was/is solid too with no rot.

 

[Louis]

As above, use either the chassis rails or bolt 8.
I usually Jack on bolt 8 and then place the jackstands on the rails.

My brother has a 1.2 mk2 Clio and we put the Jack stands in between number 3 and 4 on that diagram because we couldn’t be arsed to move the car. The front of the sub frame started to bend slightly where the point of contact was on the Jack stand, so took it off sharpish. The subframe was/is solid too with no rot.

The benefit of using bolt 8 is that theres no chance of it moving on the jack pad. I've had it start to slip on the chassis rail whilst lowering the car as the jack wheels are on block paving. Not an ideal situation when you've brake and fuel lines running down on the other side!

 

[K clio]

Just to be sure, are you saying the bolt which you can see in the picture where it joins the front suspension subframe, or do you mean a bolt just off the bottom of the picture, which you can't see in the picture?

 

[Louis]

Just to be sure, are you saying the bolt which you can see in the picture where it joins the front suspension subframe, or do you mean a bolt just off the bottom of the picture?

The bolt out of the photo.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

This bolt here chap.

 

[K clio]

👍

 

[Brigsy]

The benefit of using bolt 8 is that theres no chance of it moving on the jack pad. I've had it start to slip on the chassis rail whilst lowering the car as the jack wheels are on block paving. Not an ideal situation when you've brake and fuel lines running down on the other side!

Jack with a 4" pad is best they never move or if it does move slightly then it aint slipping off the rail, the lugs on the edges of the pad stop it from going too far.

The diy jacks with 2" jack point are terrible for moving. Best thing i done was investing in a proper trade spec low profile jack.

 

[K clio]

So the bolt which secures this to the chassis is obviously the ideal one, but the 3 other bolts on this linkage, would they be secure as well - I just want to know out of interest is anywhere on that linkage #8 secure or is it just the one bolt to the chassis.

 

[K clio]

I've a mk3 as well, different underneath. It it best to Jack using bolts at very bottom of this picture, marked by arrows, and then axle stands under clear sill points?

 

[K clio]

Here's the underneath of the Mk3 - can't see any clear rails - have I got the axle stand under a solid short rail?

 

[Brigsy]

That position for axle stand is fine, i use it on the megane which is basically the same underneath